Help! Petrol not drained before transport...

[pumpkinking]

Hi, tucked away my new Suzuki DF6AS and went to bed last night... then reading the manual last night realised that the fuel had definitely not been drained from the carb and filter lines before it was put in my car... there was no fuel in the tank, an external was used. It’s journey has been:

- Initial commissioning run in tank at the dealer

- 1 hour journey in the car laying on its tiller arm (the smell was strong... did it leak here?)

- a few hours sat on the back of the inflated boat in garden

- overnight on its tiller arm side

- 3 hour car journey laying on its tiller arm side (no smell...)

- now tucked away since last night again on its tiller arm

I know the answer is “go and look at it!” But for geographical reasons that isn’t possible. Next time I’ll be with it is Thursday evening.

Do I need to be worried? Or is what’s done is done and if so, what should I look for when I get to it next?

Thanks all...!!

[Sutty]

Don’t really understand what the problem is, the worst case is the petrol runs out of the carb and line and evaporates. If that you only problem you have no problems.

[pumpkinking]

If that’s so, then great - the warning in the owners manual makes it sound like the engine will dissolve itself and explode... so perhaps I can just calm down! [emoji23]

[Fenlander]

It's all fine in my experience... I never drain carbs and as long as you lay down as advised it'll be OK.

[pumpkinking]

Ok phew. I won’t judge my recently reviewed dealer then! Thanks for the reassurance folks.

[Peter_C]

Anything spilled will evaporate as mentioned above. Reconnect the fuel line, pump the bulb, and fire it back up.

Often outboards have a specific side they are supposed to be stored on.

[Metz Antenna Man]

We’ve got a Suzuki Df2.5 for a sib tender and we never drain the carb for a journey or for a short period. As long as it’s laid down handle side down it is fine. We have previously transported it on a 12hr journey lying down in the boot with a nearly full tank but with the vent screw tightened down just due to really bad weather while taking the engine off and loading the car. Otherwise we’d empty the fuel tank into a fuel container. At the end of the journey, the following day we’ve taken it out of the boot, clamped it to the wheely flushing bin, started it on first pull and left it running for ten minutes. There has never been a problem. Just make sure you don’t store it for any length of time with fuel in, otherwise the fuel goes off unless you’ve added fuel stabiliser.

[ba_fisher]

I also have a brand new Suzuki DF6AS.

I did exactly what @pumpkinking did (OK, I laid the motor down only for 5 hours). Then I read the manual and got scared. I ran to my car, took the motor out and opened up cover. Nothing seemed to have happened. No smell of anything. It's late night now, so I'll run the motor tomorrow morning to wake up the neighbors.

But I guess the consensus is no one actually drains their carburetor before putting the motor in the car??

@pumpkinking, did you motor blow up?

[pumpkinking]

Haha I’m glad I’m not alone ba_fisher! But no explosions thankfully.

I do try to run the engine dry on the final trip of any period of use, and always do when flushing out in the Wheely bin, but on two trips away with the boat this year the motor inevitably ended up stored on its side in the car or outside between boating.

Always started second pull from cold and no leaks!

I have a sneaky feeling that I might coincidentally be always resting the motor with the carb highest... is that with the tiller arm side facing up? Not sure if that has meant fuel sits in the lines rather than leaking out the carb... if so it’s coincidence rather than any expert planning on my part!

Anyways, I think it’s a great motor, feels rock solid to me and with proper looking after I’m sure it’ll last for years! Hope you’re happy with your purchase [emoji106]

[matata]

just a matter of interest...have they an oil filter?? Cost rock all to change the oil every season...Magnetic drain plug might be an idea?/ Nik

[ba_fisher]

I took the boat out yesterday and it was a blast (and not the exploding type!)

https://youtu.be/waS17aAqpVE?t=77

One problem was that the motor was difficult to start. In the video (at around 1:15), my first two pull were at the "start" position. Then I turned it to about 3/4 throttle, and the motor started two pulls after that.

When I flushed the motor at the boat ramp, it again refused to start at the "start" position. I tried like 10 pulls and nothing happened. I then turned to 3/4 throttle and it started in 2 pulls.

Then, I stopped and restarted the motor several times, and it started on the first pull every time, at the "start position", even without choke. I suspect that if I tilt up the motor and lower it again, something messed up the carburetor

I did pull out the choke, open the fuel vent and turned the fuel selector switch to the correct position before attempting to start the motor.